The European Union’s anti-fraud office, OLAF, announced Monday that it was launching a new internet service that will make it easier for EU officials and citizens to inform the authorities about fraud involving EU funds.

Nicholas Ilett, the acting director-general of OLAF, said that the Fraud Notification System “offers informants a simple, user-friendly” way to inform on alleged wrong-doers.

“It gives people the opportunity to submit information to OLAF anonymously but nevertheless to enter into a dialogue with our investigators,” Ilett added.

OLAF has already benefitted from setting up a free-phone hotline and e-mail for tip-offs filed by the general public and EU civil servants and now hopes to expand that system with the new online service.

According to OLAF, many EU officials are hesitant are reluctant about reporting suspicious activities out of fear of losing their jobs, even though they are protected against such reprisals under their work contracts.

OLAF hopes that the new system will “guarantee” the anonymity of those that provide allegations of abuse. It said the tip-off system acts like a “blind letterbox” where both informants and investigators can drop off and exchange messages.

Those using the online system can submit their tips in any EU language and all of them will be screened before an investigation is started, according to OLAF.

Algirdas Šemeta, the European commissioner for anti-fraud, has vowed to step up the fight against the misuse of EU funds by OLAF which was set up in 1999 to fight corruption and fraud involving EU funds.

Šemeta has said that he intends to hold consultations later this year on reforming OLAF to make it more effective, including ideas to make it independent from the Commission.